Dust-cap



A. L. JUST.

DUST CAP. APPLICATION FILED 056.26, 1919.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

INVENTOR.

T J1 a W- A TT ORNE Y.

' J. J. a 1

must caps, and 11' DUST- JUST, NEW 1 335211-.

'5 Patent.

Patented Apr. 29, 1920.

iipplicati n filed December 2" 1919. Serial Ho. 347,254.

To all whom it may concern:

and usefu whirh the ihis inven improvements lowing is a specification.

Y to improvements in its object to provide noted and simple s for protecting the ral pr tires and the like. h e 4 provide a dust cap "i quickly attached 'lireaded valve i to be screwed and unscrei. *nanner during said operations. i d o is to provide novel and simple means for locking the dust cap in the closed position, as well as for rendering the joint between the dust cap, the valve stem and the telly of the wheel waterproof. 4

l attain these objects by the means set forth in the detailed desc. ption which follows and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, iii which Figure l isa fragmentary section of a wheel and its pneumatic tire to which my device is applie 1. Fig. 2 is an inverted coir tral longitudinal section taken on line 2 or Fig. 1. 5 is a similar view of the dust cap alone, the same being partially in section. Fig. 4C is a central vertical cross-section taken through he sections of the split nut, on line i of Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

5 1g. a is a siinilarsection taken on line 66 of Fig. 3. is a top view of one of the sections of the split nut. Fig. 8 is a broken elevation of the dust cap; showing the split nut spr ad apart to slip loosely over the threaded valve stem. 9 is a bottom view of the compressible wash r. Fig. 10 is respectivel a top view and. central section of the metal washer which locks the dust cap in the closed position. ll is a side elevation of the split nut; showing one of the spreading springs.

in the drawing, 2 is the felly of av wheel; 3 is the usual metal rim; l is the outer shoe of the tire, and 5 is the inner or pneumatic tube. 6 is the threaded valve stem which passes loosely through the several parts of the wheel and tire, and is held in place on the tube 5 by a nut 6. The valve stems 6 are usually threaded substantially their full length and their outer ends comprise reduced nipples 6, to which an air pump may be connected in a well-known manner for inflating he tube 5. The stem 6 in passing loosely tl rough the rim and felly projects some dis-o nce beyond the folly, and this port e stem is usually protected by a .bular dust cap having one open is usually internally threaded no to apply and remove these old dust ey are generally screwed the full I the projecting ends of the valve These operations usually require ms of the caps in order to bring them a stop against the telly of the wheel so as to properly exclude the dust and water. These operations not only consume consid erable time but, the valve stems are invariably positioned between adjacent closely disposed spokes of the wheel, the spokes greatly interfere with the convenient and rapid turning of the cap. In the present invention the threads are omitted from the dust cap 7 and in lieu thereof the open end 7 is enlarged and its opposite inner sides are fitted with radial pins 7 and 7 which aline axially and which engage similar half sections 9 and 9 of a split nut 9, which slidably telescopes the expanded end of the cap 7. The sections 9 and 9 of the nut are provided with similar L-shaped slots 9", which receive the pins 7 and 7 of the cap. i least one of the pins 7 is applied to the cap ifter the nut has been inserted, and therefter the nut is held from full release from 1e caps by said pins,as best seen in Fig. 8. the provision of the l.-shaped slots 9", me nut may be extended the distance allowed by the vertical portions of said slots and then spread apart for freeing the threads 9 of the sections from the threads of the va ve stem, so that the cap may be removed and replaced readily and quickly wi hout requiring any screwing, as heretofore. in order to facilitate the spreacing of the sections of the nut I employ similar springs 10 which are preferably folded upon mselves and their outwardly bent ends inserted in sockets 10 which are formed in the lower inner faces of the sections, as shown. In order to permit the sections of the split nut to spread apart, (the nut when assembled being circular), the corresponding top corners of the sections 9 and 9 are cut away at 9 as best seen in Figs. 4, 8 and 11. The spr sting of the nut is limited by lugs 13 and sockets 13. When the cap is applied to the valve stem 6 the springs 10 hold the sections spread apart as shown in Fig. 8, and when the outer ends of the nut sections engage the washer which rests upon the felly, a slight pressure on the cap forces the sections of the nut back into the expanded portion 7 of the cap and compresses the springs 10, as shown in Fig. 11. After the cap has been placed in position on the stem, as described, the cap is given a slight twist or turn for moving the pins 7"4 into the horizontal arms of the L-shaped slots, where they are allowed to ren'iainuntil the cap is removed. 11 represents a washer, preferably of some compressible material, which lies against the felly 2. Upon this washer is disposed a circular piece of tin or copper 12, having a central opening which substantially conforms to the crosssectional area of the valve stem, so that the washer may be held from rotation. At the time the hole is punched in the metal washer l2, lugs or clips 12 are struck out, and when the two washers are placed together, these two clips are folded downwardly and outwardly and clenched for holding the two pieces together (see Fig. 9). The top surface of the washer 12 is provided with a number of radial ribs 12 which engage similar shallow V-shaped notches 7 formed in the bottom edge of the cap. The object of these ribs and notches is toloclt the cap in the closed position and prevent it from jarring loose by the vibration of the wheel while the vehicle is in motion.

The operation of my dust cap is as follows: hen a new tire is placed on the wheel and the valve stem (3 is inserted through the telly 2, the operator slips the connected washers 1112 over the stem until they bear against the face of the felly. He next takes the dust cap 7 and pulls out the nut 9 as far-as it may move on the pins '7 and 7 As soon as the nut is withdrawn the springs 10 spread the sections, as shown in Fig. 8. The cap with the protruding nut is then slipped over the stem 6, and the free end of the nut is pressed against the washer 12 until. the nut is forced entirely bad: into the cap, as shown in Fig. 2. This operation causes the pins of the cap to move downwardly the length of the vertical arms of the slots 9" and also forces the threads of the nut into mesh with the threads of the stem 6. The final. operation consists of giving tiie cap a partial turn for moving the pins into the horizontal arms of the L-shaped slots, and at the same time effecting the looking of the cap to the washer 12 by the notches 7 engaging one or more of the ribs 1?, as described.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 'Patent, is-

1. The combination with a hollow dust cap having radial pins near its open end, of a split nut telescoping the cap and internally hreaded for engaging the threads of a valve stem, the sections of said nut provided with L-shaped slots to receive said pins, and having sockets in their radial faces, e ch of said sections having circumferential tongues and slots for limiting the spreading" of the sec tions, and a plurality of springs engaging said sockets ada ted to spread said sections for freeing said nut from the threads of the valve stem.

In a dust cap for valve stems, the combination with a hollow cylindrical cap havin one open end provided with a plurality oi: notches, and having oppositely facing radial pins, of a split nut slidably telescoping the open end of said cap, each section of said nuthaving an L-shaped slot to receive the corresponding radial pin, the ends said slots being closed for preventing the detachment of said parts, the sections of said nut each having corresponding sockets and having threads to engage the threads of a valve stem, s n'ings enga ing said sockets adapted to spread the sections of the nut when the latter is partially withdrawn from the cap, and means ei'iga ing the notches in said cap for locking the cap in the closed position.

The combination with a dust cap having oppositely facing radial pins near its open end, and a plurality of notches in said end, and a washer having radial ribs adapted to engage said notches, of a split nut slidably telescoping the open end of the cap, said nut havi threads to engage the threads of a naive st m, and hav g I shaped slots to receive said pins, the me, k edges of the sections of said nut provided with aliniiig sockets, springs engaging the corresponding sockets and adapted to spread said sections for freeing the nut from the valve stem, and means for limiting the spreading of said sections.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ALVAH L. JUST. 

